"In My Blood Desire" by Rachel Eshed

[davidfcooper.livejournal.com]

In My Blood, Desire

1

I'll enter the lions' den with you
when you subdue them and place them as a gift at my feet.
We'll lie on green meadows,
burning like a heat wave, like night
perfume, never
bound to each other,
except in bonds of love.

2

I say "of human bondage"
meaning your body in mine,
the sweet boiling seed,
vanilla sugar I gather
to my breast
in night's lair and day's startled light.

3

Who is equal to our love,
what equals it?
Boiling lava at the mouth of
rising rivers--take cover
because I've come to capture
the proud stag
by its antlers.

4

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity
except your mouth's breath on mine
which almost expired before you reached
it
and the cathartic agony pleases
me
because here without sin,
pure minded, I knocked
on your door
and there you were.

5

Because there's no other name but love,
the tiger takes the tigress
as ever;
giant canyons taper
to a calm lake awakening;
in the salt marsh the reed quivers,
in my blood, desire.

6

Give me the pillar of fire,
sweeter than marijuana, than hashish,
to tatoo in my flesh
as a mark of addictive love.

(From Little Promises by Rachel Eshed (Bay City, MI: Mayapple Press, 2006)